Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

N.O. Researchers Make SARS Breakthrough
TheNewOrleansChannel.com. ^ | May 2, 2003

Posted on 05/02/2003 5:35:29 PM PDT by CathyRyan

NEW ORLEANS -- A medical breakthrough in the study of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, is taking place in New Orleans.

Researchers at the Louisiana State University and Tulane health science centers have developed a model of the protein suspected to be responsible for the spread of the disease.

The information is being rushed to other scientists who are working on a SARS cure. It may show that certain drugs might be able to help.

It's the type of discovery that doctors normally wait to present at a medical conference or publish in a medical journal. But both health science centers published their finding on the Internet, hoping it could bring researchers closer to a treatment or cure.

LSU's Dr. William Gallaher and Tulane's Dr. Robert Garry are sharing credit.

The model shows that the surface protein attached to the SARS virus is similar to what's been discovered in the Ebola virus and HIV, it gives hope of a cure, researchers said.

"The similarity between this protein in HIV and a couple of very discreet regions is so high that actually, there are drugs in the pipeline that may directly work," Gallaher said.

"We already know that some drugs that work against those similar proteins in HIV and Ebola will block those viruses from infecting the cells," Garry said. "We're hoping to do the same thing with the new corona virus."

SARS can be fatal and is highly contagious through face-to-face contact and shared common surfaces.

The illness usually begins with fever, chills, headaches and body aches. After about seven days, the patient may develop a dry cough. At that point, doctors say too little oxygen will be getting into the blood, causing about 10 to 20 percent of patients to require a ventilator to breathe.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: americansars; sars

1 posted on 05/02/2003 5:35:29 PM PDT by CathyRyan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: CathyRyan
You're all over this huh Cathy? Put me on your ping list.

BTW, where has Mother Abigail been?

2 posted on 05/02/2003 5:38:15 PM PDT by AAABEST
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CathyRyan
Were not many of the microbiologists associated with this subject
found dead or disappeared in the last 2 years?
3 posted on 05/02/2003 5:39:02 PM PDT by Diogenesis (If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AAABEST
Added. If you type in sars in key word search you can see all the articles. I think there are about 500 or so. :)
4 posted on 05/02/2003 5:47:10 PM PDT by CathyRyan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: per loin; Mother Abigail; Dog Gone; Petronski; riri; EternalHope; Domestic Church; aristeides; ...
ping
5 posted on 05/02/2003 5:49:04 PM PDT by CathyRyan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AAABEST
I nor anyone else has seen Mother Abigail since between the middle and end of March.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/keyword/sars
6 posted on 05/02/2003 5:52:27 PM PDT by CathyRyan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: CathyRyan
It shares similar proteins with HIV and Ebola? Thats pretty creepy. Any super-science types here want to enlighten us on whether that is to be expected or whether its an unlikely natural occurrence. I am very curious on that.
7 posted on 05/02/2003 7:02:38 PM PDT by Arkinsaw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CathyRyan
I'm glad to hear this news, although why it could be a breakthrough isn't terribly obvious to me yet. Still, the more we learn, the better off we are.
8 posted on 05/02/2003 7:27:59 PM PDT by Dog Gone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson